Bangalore break-up any time as neither JDS nor BJP blinks

With JD (S) chief H D Deve Gowda telling BJP president Rajnath Singh today that his son H D Kumaraswamy...

With JD (S) chief H D Deve Gowda telling BJP president Rajnath Singh today that his son H D Kumaraswamy should continue as Karnataka chief minister, and the BJP refusing to blink all is set for a break of the 20-month old coalition. The BJP is likely to announce the break after its parliamentary board meeting tomorrow.

The father-son duo held a meeting of the JD (S) political affairs committee, which authorised Deve Gowda to convey to Singh “the sentiments of the committee members”, said the party’s secretary-general Danish Ali.

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BJP still advocates a compromise with Deve Gowda for the sake of “our sole government in the south”, but the overwhelming mood is in favour of a tough stand. Most leaders foresee a higher tally for the party owing to public sympathy after “this betrayal” by the JD (S). JD (S) leaders, on the other hand, say they too are expecting a better performance. They say the Muslim vote will swing in their favour after the confrontation with the BJP.

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Despite the script heading for a break, no one is ruling out a sudden turn, given the unpredictability and the bargaining skills of Deve Gowda, who had publicly disowned the BJP-Kumaraswamy deal to only throw his weight behind his son later.

The Congress is expected to step in once the JD(S) and BJP part company with each other. Kumaraswamy has set the stage for a Congress-role by deciding to convene an Assembly session for October 18 to seek a vote of confidence, giving him time to negotiate. But the Congress media cell chief Veerappa Moily has demanded a show of strength in the Karnataka Assembly within two days to avoid horse-trading. It is for Governor Rameshwar Thakur, a Congress-appointee, to respond to the recommendation of the State Cabinet in the present situation.